GOCI Leadership

Y. Maria Martinez, Special Secretary for Public Engagement and Community Initiatives

Appointed in February 2026 by Governor Wes Moore, Y. Maria Martinez led Maryland’s efforts to expand economic opportunity for small, minority, women, and veteran-owned businesses. She oversaw socioeconomic procurement programs across 73 agencies, chaired the Subcabinet on Socioeconomic Procurement Participation, and drove statewide training and outreach for businesses interested in State procurement and best practices.

Secretary Martinez chaired the Department of Social and Economic Mobility’s transition team and was tapped to become the first Special Secretary Public Engagement and Community Initiatives in February 2026.

A first-generation American and respected entrepreneur, Maria has over 25 years of private sector experience. A committed advocate for equity and inclusion, Maria has served on numerous boards and commissions. She lives in Howard County with her family.

Gregory Yancey was appointed Chief of Staff in the Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives by Governor Wes Moore in July 2023.

Gregory D. Yancey, Esq., is an attorney, minister, author, and community warrior.  Mr. Yancey is a graduate of the University of Maryland at College Park (C’95 w/ High Honors) and Georgetown University Law Center (C’98). He has practiced law as: an associate; in-house counsel; and principal owner of a law firm. Mr. Yancey founded “The Fighting Lawyer, LLC” law firm to give voice to the voiceless and the marginalized. He is known by many from the quote “It came down to either going to law school or becoming a superhero, so I decided to do both!”

Largely inspired by his father’s involvement in the integration of Georgia Tech University (1), Gregory Yancey engaged in a lifelong pursuit of advancing equal justice for all.

Mr. Yancey’s practice ventured into a wide foray of areas such as: Civil Litigation; Criminal Defense; Family Law; Commercial Transactions; Business Support/Employment Law; and other practice areas.

Mr. Yancey is also an avid mentor who helps non-lawyers to become lawyers and lawyers to become super lawyers.  He taught two courses: Law School Boot Camp, and So You Want to be a Lawyer? at the University of Maryland at College Park from a textbook and curriculum that he wrote. He has donated hundreds of copies of his Law School Boot Camp textbook to encourage students to enter the legal profession.

Mr. Yancey is the past president of The Waring Mitchell Law Society of Howard County, past   Chair of the Social Justice Committee for The African American Community Roundtable, and past Chair of the Political Action Committee for the Howard Co. NAACP. He is also the 2015 recipient of the UMCP Black Male Initiative “Community Warrior” Award.

Mr. Yancey also engages the community through ministry, moderating town hall discussions, motivational speaking, and public testimony.

(1) in 1965, Ronald Yancey became the first African American to graduate from GaTech.